Handle construction



May 16, 19 33. 'O J LEINS 1,909,494

HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 17, 1950 @IL @"W film @Illh 2/ r ii; )4 w w Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSCAR J. LEINS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO MILWAUKEE GAS SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Application filed January 17, 1930. Serial No. 421,435.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in handles, and refers more particularly to actuating handles of valves or gas cocks used on ranges of the type wherein the stringer or fuel supply pipe and the valves per se are entirely concealed, and only the actuating member or handle is visible.

As ranges of this type are designed to be especially pleasing to the eye, it is desirable that the valve actuating handles conform with the aesthetic scheme of construction, and therefore, this invention has as one of its objects to provide a handle wherein the attaching screw by which it is held assembled with the valve stem is entirely concealed.

To further carry out ranges are usually enameled in different colors, and to maintain a particular color scheme, the actuating members or handles are also enameled. The process of enamelling is, however, usually accompanied by a large percentage of rejections due to chipping and the like, and it is therefore, another ob ect of this invention to provide a handle of the character described wherein the portion to be enameled is comparatively inexpensive and capable of being assembled with the remainder of the handle structure after enameling, so that the cost incurred by the rejection of defective parts is low.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a handle of the character described wherein the visible portion of the handle is readily detachable to facilitate its replacement whenever necessary.

And a more specific object of this invention resides in the provision of a handle of the character described which consists of a frame member secured to the valve stem and over which an outer casing is readily detachably secured.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the the desired effect, the 3 herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated two complete examples of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have so far dev1s ed for the practical application of the prlnciples thereof, and in which:

Flgure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a gas range equipped with my improved operatlng handles;

Flgure is an enlarged detail view of a gas cock having my improved handle applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 7 Figure 4 is a perspective View of the handle elements and the outer end of the valve stem shown separated and in their proper relationship; and

Figure 5 is a view illustrating a modified form of my invention. 9

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 represents the burner section of a conventional gas range having the usual burners, not shown, to which fuel is supplied through a stringer pipe also notshown, concealed behind a panel 6. Communication of the burners with the stringer pipe is controlled by valves commonly known as gas cocks 7 which have their inlets 8 connected with apertures in the stringer pipe and their outlets 9'provided with tips 10 adapted to direct the fuel into the manifolds of the respective burners. As is well known the gas cocks 7 are provided with plugs 11 rotatably mounted therein to control the passage of fuel through the valves.

Rotation is imparted to the plug 11 from which a valve stem extends, by nieans of an actuating handle indicated generally by the numeral 12, and which, as illustrated in Figure 1, is the only visible portion of the gas cock. The handle 12 includes a skeletonized frame 13 stamped from bendable metal and having a central inwardly directed depression 14 shaped to conform to the outer flatted end 15 0f the valve stem to which it is fixed by a screw 16 threaded in an opening 17 in the outer end of the stem of the plug 11.

As best illustrated in Figure 4, the frame 13 has a plurality of lugs or ears 18 struck laterally from the marginal edges of its opposite sides, and similar laterally directed ears or lugs 19 projected from its opposite ends. The lugs or ears 18 and 19 are sub stantially of the same length and provide means for receiving an outer casing 20 which forms the visible portion of the handle and completely conceals the frame and its attaching screw.

The casing 20 like the frame 13 is stamped from bendable metal and is of substantially eliptical shape having a lateral flange 21 encircling its entire periphery. The internal dimensions of the casing flange are such as to snugly receive the lugs 18 and 19 and the peripheral edge 22 of the flange is directed slightly inwardly so that when the casing is pressed onto the frame it will be detachably held thereon by the resilience of the lugs 18 and 19.

To increase the resilience of the end lugs 19, the arms 23 of the frame from whose outer ends they are struck, are provided with transversely extending loops or bulges 24. The bulges 24 also facilitate the removal of the casing by providing means with which a tool may be engaged to forcibly pry the same from the frame.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the casing 20, being the only visible part of the handle, need only be finished or enameled, and as this element is extremely inexpensive, the losses caused by the rejection of imperfect units, is negligible. The ease of assembling and removing the casings is also particularly advantageous as it permits matching of colors and replacements when necessary, without expense.

If desired, the frame structure 13 may be replaced by a cast member 25 or its equivalent, illustrated in Figure 5, which is secured to the outer end of the valve stem by means of a screw 26 or the like. In this instance, the outer casing 20 is cemented to the cast body 25.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An actuating handle for valves and the like having an actuating stem, comprising a frame stamped from bendable metal and connectable with the stem of the valve, resilient lugs carried by the frame, an outer casing having side walls and securable over the frame with its side walls flat against the resilient lugs, and means carried by the outer casing and cooperating with the resilient lugs of the frame for maintaining the outer casing on the frame.

2. An actuating handle of the character described, comprising a skeletonized frame stamped from a single blank of bendable metal, means whereby the frame may be secured to a member to be actuated, lugs projecting laterally from the frame, and an outer casing telescoped over the frame whereby the frame is entirely disposed within the casing with the side walls of the casing in flat engagement with the lugs of the frame.

3. An actuating handle of the character described comprising a skeletonized frame stamped from bendable metal and having means of attachment to a member to be actuated, lugs extending laterally from the frame, a casing telescoped over the frame lying entirely within the casing and the casing having a lateral flange whose internal dimensions are such as to snugly receive the lugs when the casing is pressed onto the frame, and an inwardly directed peripheral edge formed on the lateral flange of the casing to' lie inwardly of the adjacent marginal edges of the lugs and prevent detachment of the casing.

4. An actuating handle of the character described, comprising a frame stamped from bendable metal, lugs projected from the frame, an outer casing detachably disposed over the frame with part of the frame engaging the bottom wall and with the lugs in fiat engagement with the side walls whereby the casing is maintained assembled with the frame by the inherent resilience of the frame, and means formed on the frame part in en-' gagement with the bottom wall for increasing the resilience of the frame, and said means" facilitating the removal of the frame by pro-' viding means with which a tool may be engaged to pry the casing from the frame.

5. An actuating handle of the character described, comprislng a substantially cupped shell including bottom and side walls, a mounting frame adapted for attachment to a member to 'be actuated, and telescoped within the shell with a portion thereof engaglng the bottom of the shell, and lateral lugs on the frame engaging the side walls of the shell.

6. An actuating handle of the character described, comprising a substantially cupped shell including a bottom and side walls, a skeletonized mounting frame adapted for attachment to a member to be actuated and received within the shell with a portion thereof engaging the bottom of the shell, and lateral lugs on the frame resiliently engaged with the side walls of the shell to detachably hold the shell on the frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- 

